Universal UK theme park plans for 8.5m annual visitors 

New planning documents have revealed the new Universal UK theme park will be designed to accommodate 8.5 million annual visitors and 55,000 visitors per peak day in its first phase.

In a submission to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Universal Destinations & Experiences detailed new features to the proposed entertainment complex in Bedford, which will be divided into four main land zones known as the Core Zone, Lake Zone, West Gateway Zone and East Gateway Zone.

The documents also revealed the potential to build the tallest rollercoasters in Europe as the proposed “maximum height” of a “structure including non-occupiable features”, such as a rollercoaster, within the area of the Core Zone where the theme park will be based, will be 115 metres.

This would be taller than the UK’s current tallest rollercoaster at Thorpe Park called Hyperia (72 metres), and Europe’s tallest at PortAventura World called Red Force (112 metres).

The proposal stipulated dining and entertainment venues across the site would be available to ticketed and non-ticketed visitors and there would be a minimum of 500 hotel rooms as well as a minimum of 7,106 car parking spaces, 100 coach parking spaces and 250 cycle spaces. 

There are plans for a shuttle bus service between the theme park and Wixams Railway Station, a new A421 junction and other upgrades to local infrastructure to accommodate visitors. 

Universal Destinations & Experiences is part of Comcast NBCUniversal and is waiting for the results of its submission to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for planning permission to be granted by Special Development Order to start construction in 2026.